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RCE Scotland co- hosts Global RCE webinars in the lead up to the 12th Global RCE Conference

Tue 2nd March 2021 - RCE Network

On 4th February 2021 LfS Scotland was delighted to co-host, with the Global RCE Service Centre,  the first of two online webinars to be held in the lead-up to the 12th Global RCE Conference.

‘RCE Global Network 2021: Achieving the SDGs: Action through Learning’ brought together more than 120 attendees, with representation from all regions of the RCE global network. With a focus on action through learning in a time of global crises this event aimed  to share the knowledge, skills, and values to bring about the changes needed to transition to a better world. Recordings of all the sessions  are available here.

Dr. Akio Takemoto, Programme Head, UNU-IAS, celebrated the resilience of RCEs during the COVID-19 pandemic, continuing to communicate and collaborate to deal with issues that have emerged or been exacerbated by the pandemic. The role of RCEs in building back better was addressed, and their key role in supporting the UN framework ‘ESD for 2030’. The new UNESCO ESD for 2030 roadmap, and its role in achieving the UN Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) was presented by Ms. Won Jung Byun, Senior Project Officer, Department of ESD, UNESCO. This framework (which is a follow-up to the Global Action Programme) highlights education’s role within the 17 SDGs and calls on countries and governments to take greater ownership towards leading the transformation needed, as well as the implementation of country initiatives.

An interactive breakout sharing session gave participants time to examine the five themes within the roadmap: Advancing policy; Transforming learning environments; Building capacities of educators; Empowering & mobilising youth; and Accelerating local level actions. In terms of the goal for ESD to be integrated in every level of government, both in education and sustainable development, participants saw this as not fully realised to date – at least not to its full potential – which results in opportunities for advancing policy. RCEs can play a role here due to their capabilities in bringing together multiple stakeholders, collaborative engagement, and developing relationships with governments at different levels. Also discussed was the need to take a holistic view of ESD, and to enhance not only the cognitive, but also social, emotional, and behavioural dimensions of learning. Finally, participants emphasised the importance of local knowledge and involvement of communities in the decision-making process through co-design and co-creation.


The next global RCE webinar to be held on 8 June, 2021, will focus on the ‘Roadmap for the RCE Community 2021-2030’, aligned with the UNESCO ESD for 2030 and providing a joint mission, strategy, and shared ambition for the Global RCE Network as we head towards 2030.